Three colors Particle Image Velocimetry using flashed lamps as light source

In the last few years Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) has become one of the most useful techniques for the study of flowfields. In 2D applications, it allows the simultaneous measurement of the velocity distribution on the whole acquisition area. Currently, the main limits to a further diffusion of this technique are economic and safety issues. Laser illumination, commonly used for PIV measurement systems, is expensive and the use of laser beams is limited by some problems, primarily safety. Other typical aspects of PIV techniques are the limits on the velocity range that can be measured simultaneously with adequate accuracy and the difficulty in using relatively thick light sheets. Upon considering the above problems and our previous experience in PIV with flashed lamps as light source [3], with the related problems of highly "noisy" images, we designed and built a new PIV acquisition system which uses three colored lamp flashes as a light source. This solution can give some significant advantage in several aerodynamic and hydrodynamic situations. This recently developed PIV acquisition system is fully transportable, eyesafe, practical, and economic (2500 USD). Moreover it allows high flexibility for velocity measurements and independent setting of different acquisition parameters.